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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23082604">just this once</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/abeebumbling/pseuds/abeebumbling'>abeebumbling</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Adventure Zone (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bad Flirting, Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:07:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,336</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23082604</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/abeebumbling/pseuds/abeebumbling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Any student at Wiggenstaffs looks at  Fitzroy Maplecourt and sees a chaotic magic powerhouse with muscles that can manipulate a large range of weapons with a, somewhat justified, superior attitude. No one, however, sees Fitzroy collapsing on the bottom bunk, too tired to get to the top after a rough day of raging in training or when his face suddenly bursts into a nosebleed after attempting a higher level spell. Well. No one except Argo.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Argo Keene/Sir Fitzroy Maplecourt, Maplekeene</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>164</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>just this once</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>just to be clear this is set while the thunder men are still sharing a room</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Any student at Wiggenstaffs looks at  Fitzroy Maplecourt and sees a chaotic magic powerhouse with muscles that can manipulate a large range of weapons with a, somewhat justified, superior attitude. No one, however, sees Fitzroy collapsing on the bottom bunk, too tired to get to the top after a rough day of raging in training or when his face suddenly bursts into a nosebleed after attempting a higher level spell. Well. No one except Argo.</p><p>It leads to him noticing other things about Fitzroy. Rainer can summon dancing animal skeletons from her chair with a flick of her hand, the Firbolg casts with a small wave of his staff, Fitroy’s shoulders tense and his teeth grind together and, if he’s close enough, Argo will hear him chanting incantations under his breath. He shouldn’t need to do that. </p><p>There’s something maybe just a little bit cool about how Fitzroy can keep his back straight with blood trickling down his shirt and no more spell slots. Maybe something just a little bit... well it makes Argo blush so he'll stop thinking about it.</p><p>Today’s been particularly rough. He’s already been healed up but Argo swears his shoulder still throbs lightly. It also doesn’t help with the general weariness, he’s exhausted.  A glance at the Firbolg’s shuffling steps prove that the feeling’s mutual. Fitzroy is still back at the school’s healers. Argo was too preoccupied with a dislocated shoulder to really pay attention to how he was doing but if he remembered correctly, Fitzroy did take quite a few hits and spells but he seemed to dish out even more. Argo frowns. That’s not necessarily a good thing knowing him.</p><p>Argo feels a big hand rest on his shoulder. </p><p>“Argo, are you.. alright?” The firbolg’s speech was even slower than usual. They were all tired out.</p><p>Argo gives a quick nod. “Mhm.”</p><p>The firbolg hums lightly.</p><p>“You say this yet… you seem troubled.”</p><p>Argo is a skilled liar but he never likes to do so with the firbolg. He was always much too genuine for it to feel justified.</p><p>“Well.. I… you know…” He shrugs vaguely.</p><p>“Fitzroy?” And the firbolg smiles, quiet and knowing. Argo doesn’t say anything, doesn’t even <em>emote</em> anything but he can’t help the painful warmth staining his face.</p><p>“Maybe.” He mumbles. </p><p>“He will be fine. Fitzroy strong.” The firbolg solemnly bends his arm in a mock flex, earning a snort of laughter from Argo.</p><p>“You’re probably right. He’s just…” Argo sighs. “He’s just a fucking dumbass, you know? Doesn’t know his limits, or at least doesn’t care about them,”</p><p>The firbolg nods solemnly. They enter their shared room and Argo collapses on his bed. Neither of them say much more after that and Argo dozes in and out of uneasy sleep for the next few hours. At some point he glances at the top bunk. Empty. He checks a pocket watch he may or may not have snatched from someones pocket in town. It’s late enough to be justifiably worried.</p><p>Argo staggers out of bed and into the hallway, he’s still fully dressed, not having bothered to change. Half a minute of walking in and he trips and jolts his bad shoulder. He groans. And whatever he tripped over groans as well.</p><p>“What the fuck-“</p><p>“Ow.”</p><p>He’d recognise that nasally voice anywhere.</p><p>“Fitzroy?! What are you doing here?”</p><p>“Um…vibing?”</p><p>The hallway was dimly lit but Argo’s eyes were slowly adjusting, Fitzroy was sitting, leaning against the wall and was rubbing his eyes sleepily. </p><p>“Fucking- Fitz were you <em>sleeping</em>?”</p><p>Fitzroy gives a sheepish nod.</p><p>That’s weird for two reasons. One, because he’s doing it in the damn hallway. Two, because Fitzroy Maplecourt <em>doesn’t</em> fucking sleep. Argo’s expression must have made pretty clear what he was thinking because Fitzroy pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs.</p><p>“Listen, I was really tired after training today, I just needed a break for a second when I was getting back.” Argo raises his eyebrows. “I’m half human Argo, geez, I am capable of sleeping.”</p><p>Argo looks into Fitzroy’s dilated, reflective pupils. He can probably see perfectly when Argo’s struggling to just make him out. </p><p>“Keyword half,” he mumbles as he gets up to his feet. He puts a hand out to Fitzroy. “Just let me help you out, alright?”</p><p>He’s actually surprised to find Fitzroy take his hand. Yes, it was reluctant but still. The second surprise is how heavy Fitzroy is. Argo almost falls right on top of him. After getting up, Fitzroy rests his hand on his head and another against the wall. He grumbles something that sounds uncharacteristically like a swear. </p><p>“Language.” Fitzroy scowls at him but he looks so tired. “Oh, we are in a bad mood tonight.” There’s a pause as Fitzroy rubs his forehead. “Um. You good Fitz?”</p><p>“No.” Fitzroy sighs dramatically. Argo waits. Knowing Fitzroy, he won’t need to prompt him much. “I just…” There it is. “I just may have raged twice in a row. Then attempted to do it a third time and it felt like my skeleton tried to leave my body.”</p><p>Argo shudders.</p><p>“I think Rainer is rubbing off on you. Also, yeah.” Argo swallows back any expression of concern. “That was kind of a stupid thing to do.” He reaches for Fitzroy’s arm and puts it around his shoulder. “C’mon, I’ll help you get back,”</p><p>Fitzroy blusters and protests but resigns himself soon enough.</p><p>“Fine. Just this once,”</p><p>Argo rolls his eyes.</p><p>“Yeah. Just this once.” He scoffs. There’s a small silence. “Doesn’t healing help? Magic..seems to hurt you a lot Fitz, if you don’t mind me saying.”</p><p>“Well… it helps with the actual injuries. But I can’t do anything about it tiring me out. I just need rest, I guess. I will control it better though.”</p><p>His voice hardens towards the end and even though his feet are dragging he stands a little straighter. </p><p>“Fitz…” And Argo finds that his voice is so soft that it makes his face burn. And maybe it’s cause he’s tired or maybe it’s cause he just cares too much right now. “Take care of yourself, alright?”</p><p>“I…” For a second, Fitroy Maplecourt seems to be speechless. “Um. Sure.”</p><p>Another silence. They always seem so loaded with unanswered questions when he's with Fitzroy. Argo can’t handle it. He whistles suddenly, long and loud, making Fitzroy jump.</p><p>“Argo!”</p><p>“I thought pets weren’t allowed on campus,” Argo blurts out.</p><p>Fitzroy looks so lost that he has to bite back a snort of laughter.</p><p>“What… what does that have to do with anything?” Fitzroy says incredulously.</p><p>Argo looks at him, struggling to keep a straight face, and pats one of Fitzroy’s arms.</p><p>“I’m talking about these puppies,”</p><p>They’re in front of their shared dorm room now but Fitzroy stops short and Argo swears he can see his face go through the seven stages of grief. That in itself is gratifying enough, but something even better happens. Fitzroy’s eyes crinkle and a smile appears on his lips and he starts laughing.</p><p>“<em>Argonaut Keene</em>,” he wheezes after a moment. “I cannot believe you- you-“ He erupts into giggles again and Argo can’t stop grinning. He feels so disgustingly warm and fluffy. </p><p>He keeps walking to stop himself from overthinking it and pushes the door open. He’s about to hush Fitzroy but lo and behold, the firbolg is up and staring straight at them. Fitzroy stops laughing, dissimulating it in a cough. He hurriedly unslinks his arm from Argo’s shoulders and immediately Argo misses its warmth. </p><p>“Well! Good night gentlemen,” Fitzroy says quickly and uneasily makes his way to the ladder leading to his top bunk. He looks up at it and sighs but proceeds to struggle up it.</p><p>Argo scratches his neck, purposefully averting his eyes. He sits on his bed. </p><p>“Mhm. Yeah. Goodnight guys,”</p><p>“Ah,” the firbolg says. “Have I interrupted a… how do you say… A <em>moment</em>?”</p><p>The emphasis put on the last word makes both Argo and Fitzroy protest loudly:</p><p>“No!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>whoop! thanks for reading :D</p></blockquote></div></div>
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